CHARLOTTE –The news that North Carolina women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell would sit out the upcoming 2013-14 season while she battles leukemia hit the ACC hard Monday.

For television analyst Debbie Antonelli, whose eyes welled up when talking of Hatchell’s situation, it brought back painful memories of what her own college coach at N.C. State, Kay Yow, went through a few years ago.

The parallel was even more personal – and fresh – for UNC men’s coach Roy Williams, who last year at this time was in the midst of a cancer scare of his own.

“It truly rocks your world,” Williams said of his diagnosis during an interview session at Wednesday’s ACC Operation Basketball media event. “People told me for years that if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything. I didn’t understand that nearly as much until last Sept. 10 when someone told me I had kidney cancer.

“For 24 days I thought I had cancer. If you haven’t been through that, you have no idea (what it’s like).”

Because Williams does have an idea about what Hatchell is going through, he reached out to her Tuesday to express his friendship and support for his fellow Hall of Famer.

Wednesday, he made an even more public gesture by proudly wearing an orange ribbon on his Carolina blue golf shirt.

Hall of Famer Sylvia Hatchell has compiled 908 wins in her coaching career

“Someone told me that orange is the color for leukemia (awareness),” Williams said. “We have pink (for breast cancer), purple for pancreatic cancer and so to me, it was important. I asked the secretaries to see if they could find some ribbon so I could wear this today for (Hatchell).”

Hatchell has compiled a 636-241 record during her 28 seasons with the Tar Heels and is one of just three coaches in women’s basketball history to compile more than 900 wins. She also led UNC to the 1994 NCAA championship and has won eight ACC tournament titles.

Her long-time assistant Andrew Calder will serve as UNC’s interim head coach this season.

Hatchell’s oncologist, Dr. Pete Voorhees of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center said he is optimistic about the coach’s chances of beating the disease. Williams said Wednesday he has no doubt his colleague will be back on the bench coaching sooner than later.

“She is a fighter,” Williams said. “Hopefully they caught it early and things are going to be okay. Hopefully everybody will remember her, her family and everything she’s going through in their prayers.”